Upskilling Women returning to the Workforce

1 Feb 2022

We are delighted to announce that Rejuvenate Spring 2022 will commence on Tuesday 8th March -

International Women's Day!

In 2019, Taste 4 Success Skillnet, in conjunction with UCC’s Food Industry Training Unit and Food Institute, recognised the value of enabling women to return to their careers and developed an innovative programme called Rejuvenate to support them in their quest.

The key challenges for women returning to the workplace can be broken down into two distinctive areas, there is the updating of skills and more importantly, there is the need to build back up their confidence and reconnect with their professional self.

Fully funded by Taste 4 Success Skillnet and delivered by UCC’s Dr Joanne Uí Chrualaoich and Caroline Seacy M.A., this innovative bespoke programme has gone from strenght to strength.

Caroline Seacy commented, “We are delighted that in 2022, our fifth Rejuvenate programme commences on International Women’s Day. Demand for the programme is very strong and we greatly appreciate Taste4Success Skillnet and Skillnet Ireland’s ongoing support of this initiative, working with us to upskill professional women and helping them to return to paid employment.”

“Our Returner Insights Series shines a light into the impact Rejuvenate has had on some participants’ lives. Their stories are inspirational.”

Returner Insights

“I loved the programme. It reignited my desire to re-enter the workforce and has helped me realise my potential. Prior to the course, I felt I was out of the workforce for far too long and that my IT skills were probably outdated. The Rejuvenate trainers Joanne and Caroline encouraged me so much and the comradery amongst the group was inspiring. I really began to feel that I have a lot to offer an employer, that I am worthy of a chance and that I could once again be valued within the workplace.”

Niamh Monaghan, Rejuvenate 2021. IT Project Scheduler Cognizant

“I have settled back into working life and my family are all on board with the new routine at home. It really was an amazing opportunity for me to attend the course. I am certain I would not have been as successful in my quest to return to the workplace without Rejuvenate.”

Rose Walsh, Rejuvenate 2020. Laboratory Technician PepsiCo

“Gender balance, diversity and inclusiveness is a positive and enriching thing in any profession, in any sector. The support from peers, coupled with Rejuvenate trainers Jo and Caroline’s belief in the untapped and undervalued potential of women returning to work, helped to nudge me in a new direction and to try again with job applications. I applied for and was offered a job towards the end of the Rejuvenate course.”

Colette Kealy, Rejuvenate 2019, Further Education Teacher WIT and DCU

“So if I say anything to a woman thinking about returning - belief in yourself, you are worthy of the job, you can learn what you don’t know, use your talents and use your life experience to your advantage - you can bring all those skills to the workplace and employers need employees with your skills.”

Sinéad Coleman, Rejuvenate 2020. Junior Quality Specialist Acorn Regulatory

“I found the Rejuvenate course simply fantastic in helping me to navigate my way back into the workforce. We (me and the 19 other women) learned a huge amount. By the time it ended, we were all well along a path to the next step in our returner journey - helped by knowledge, reflection, peer support and camaraderie and all facilitated seamlessly by the Rejuvenate trainers, Caroline and Joanne.”

Oonagh O’Driscoll, Rejuvenate 2021. Head of Development, UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences

So if you want to return to work but lack the confidence to apply for jobs, visit Rejuvenate 2022 to find out more.

University College Cork and Taste 4 Success Skillnet were delighted to receive the IITD Best Diversity and Inclusion Award 2020 for our Rejuvenate Programme, which recognised an outstanding and innovative initiative, focused on ensuring full access to and participation in the workplace for all.

For more on this story contact:

Caroline Seacy caroline.seacy@ucc.ie